WOODSTOCK Harrier Sophie Carter landed the Oxfordshire title along with the open women’s crown at the White Horse Half Marathon in Grove.

With the course bathed in warm spring sunshine, the race, which also incorporated the second round of the 2011 Oxfordshire Grand Prix series, provided a fine spectacle, and some high quality distance running.

Carter was in sublime form as she finished 18th ove-rall in 1 hr 21 mins 21 secs.

In doing so, she turned the tables on last year’s ladies’ champion, the veteran Jude Craft (Headington Roadrunners).

Craft finished three places further back, just over a minute adrift, but had the consolation of securing the vet 35 honours in 1.22.27.

Diane Moore (also Headington), took the final podium place, finishing 34th in 1.26.38.

In the men’s race, Oxford University athlete Fabian Downs, running for club team Chiltern Harriers won the open title, finishing first in 1.12.07.

But the overall men’s county crown went to Steve Male (Oxford City), who finished second just six seconds adrift of the winner.

After the disappointment of being out-sprinted at the finish in last year’s event, Male adopted different tactics this time around, running shoulder-to-shoulder with Downs throughout.

The pace took its toll on the remainder of the group, allowing Male to finish comfortably in second to clinch the county open and vet 40 crowns.

Woodstock’s James Bolton took overall county silver and senior men’s gold, finishing in 1.12.30, while Nigel Marley, running for first-claim club Coventry Godiva, took the bronze medal in the open race and silver in the senior men’s competition.

The team events were dominated by Oxfordshire clubs.

Woodstock Harriers (James Bolton, Brian O’Connor, Dave Cantwell and Martin Ineson) retained both the open and county titles for the fourth successive year, while Abingdon Amblers took silver and Oxford City the bronze.

The ladies’ open and county titles went to Headington Roadrunners trio Craft, Moore and Charlotte Harris, beating closest rivals Alchester by a massive 187 points.

OPEN RACE RESULTS

(top 30, senior men unless stated)

1 F Downs (Chiltern Harriers) 1.12.07, 2 S Male (Oxford C, 1st V40) 1.12.13, 3 J Bolton (Woodstock H) 1.12.30, 4 N Marley (Coventry Godiva) 1.13.20, 5 P Jegou (WHH) 1.16.23, 6 S Stevens (Winchester, V40) 1.16.40, 7 L Newell (Abingdon) 1.16.49, 8 A Burgess (Oxford C) 1.16.50, 9 T Lock (Witney RR, V40) 1.16.54, 10 N Jones (unattached) 1.17.39, 11 N Weston (unattached) 1.18.24, 12 R Storey (Eynsham RR, V40) 1.18.25, 13 B O’Connor (Woodstock H, V40) 1.19.46, 14 R Skilbeck (Headington RR) 1.20.40, 15 A Watts (Abingdon, V40) 1.21.07, 16 P Wilson (unattached) 1.21.15, 17 R Mulvany (Abingdon) 1.21.18, 18 S Carter (Woodstock H, 1st SL) 1.21.21, 19 S O’Gorman (Alchester, V40) 1.21.24, 20 D Cantwell (Woodstock H, V40) 1.21.37, 21 J Craft (Headington RR, 1st LV35) 1.22.27, 22 S Buckley (unattached) 1.22.28, 23 M Tune (Swindon H, V40) 1.22.43, 24 A Harborow (Cirencester) 1.22.51, 25 J-M Briens (Witney RR, V40) 1.23.05, 26 M Ineson (Woodstock H) 1.23.35, 27 B Vaughan (Woodstock H, 1st V50) 1.24.50, 28 V Ellerby (Gade Valley) 1.25.13, 29 G Harris (Headington RR) 1.25.40, 30 E Price (Gade Valley) 1.25.47.

OPEN RACE PRIZE-WINNERS

Overall men: 1 F Downs (Chiltern H), 2 S Male (Oxford C), 3 J Bolton (Woodstock H).

Senior men: 1 F Downs, 2 J Bolton, 3 N Marley (Coventry Godiva).

Vet 40 men: 1 S Male, 2 S Stevens (Winchester), 3 T Lock (Witney RR) Vet 50 men: 1 B Vaughan (Woodstock H), 2 R Schofield (Abingdon), 3 M Fray (Compton H).

Vet 60 men: 1 J Davies (South West Vets), 2 D Parsons (Oxford C), 3 G Pritchard (Banbury H).

Overall ladies: 1 S Carter (Woodstock H), 2 J Craft (Headington RR), 3 D Moore (Headington RR).

Senior ladies: 1 S Carter, 2 C Norrish (Abingdon & Vale), 3 3 J Williams (Bracknell).

Vet 35 ladies: 1 J Craft, 2 D Moore, 3 S Usher (Alchester).

Vet 45 ladies: 1 L Gettins (Compton H), 2 K Bates (Eynsham RR), 3 T Prior (Abingdon).

Vet 55 ladies: 1 C Brighton (Abingdon), 2 M Thompson (Team Bath), 3 J Pemberton (unattached).

Men’s team: 1 Woodstock H 62pts, 2 Abingdon 74, 3 Oxford C 131.

Ladies’ team: 1 Headington RR 128pts, 2 Alchester 315, 3 Headington RR B 321.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

Overall men: 1 S Male.

Senior men: 1 J Bolton, 2 N Marley, 3 P Jegou (WHH).

Vet 40 men: 1 S Male, 2 T Lock, 3 R Storey (Eynsham).

Vet 50 men: 1 B Vaughan, 2 R Schofield, 3 M Fray.

Vet 60 men: 1 D Parsons, 2 G Pritchard, 3 M Shipway (Woodstock H).

Vet 70 men: 1 D King (Abingdon).

Overall ladies: 1 S Carter.

Senior ladies: 1 S Carter, 2 C Norrish, 3 C Harris (Headington RR).

Vet 35 ladies: 1 J Craft, 2 D Moore, 3 S Usher.

Vet 45 ladies: 1 L Gettins, 2 K Bates, 3 T Priot.

Vet 55 ladies: 1 J Pemberton, 2 N Blatchford (Abingdon), 3 B De Martino (Headington RR).

SELECTED CLUB RESULTS

(sub two-hours only) Abingdon: R Schofield (V50) 1.26.40, S Convers-Reignier 1.26.58, T Garrod (V40) 1.27.52, J Moore (V40) 1.31.27, S Copley 1.32.18, J Wigmore (V50) 1.35.00, J Bones 1.35.21, J Cheung 1.36.31, S Smith (V50) 1.41.22, M Juffkins (V40) 1.42.30, C Brighton (LV55) 1.44.13, T Prior (LV45) 1.44.43, A Garner (V50) 1.45.30, T Clarke (V40) 1.46.20, P Wilson (LV45) 1.51.02, K Dixon (V40) 1.51.40, N Blatchford (LV55) 1.58.47, J Stimpson (LV45) 1.59.01.

Eynsham RR: T Whitlock (V50) 1.35.20, S Walker 1.35.52, B Breaker 1.38.27, J Bishop (V50) 1.39.10, H Morris (V50) 1.40.27, K Bates (LV45) 1.43.22, J Pinnock (LV45) 1.45.50, H Brice (SL) 1.45.58, D Breaker (V50) 1.47.51, G Ferrier (SL) 1.49.07, M Chuilon (SL) 1.49.52, K Kavanagh (V50) 1.52.03, J Larbalestier (LV45) 1.56.13, I Keeley (V50) 1.56.37, R Clegg (LV35.

Headington RR: N Mowforth 1.28.42, A Darbyshire (V40) 1.31.22, N Haynes 1.33.01, C Harris (SL) 1.33.19, M Biglin (V40) 1.37.19, A Hopkins (LV35) 1.37.30, L Massi (SL) 1.38.15, R Shaw (LV35) 1.38.15, J Tyler (V40) 1.39.00, A Lorentz 1.40.38, S Howard (LV35) 1.41.33, P Brame (V40) 1.41.34, M Allen (V40) 1.43.25, H Kitchen (SL) 1.44.40, P Lister (V50) 1.44.55, P Lister (V50) 1.44.55, J Chambers (V50) 1.05.29, S Brown 1.46.59, R Green (V60) 1.49.27, J Clargo (V40) 1.49.27, A Powter (LV35) 1.50.26, L Shaw (LV35) 1.51.09, G Norris (V60) 1.51.09, K Hartwich (SL) 1.51.53, F Hargreaves (SL) 1.52.19, R Iliffe (SL) 1.55.13, I Kelly (LV45) 1.57.14, L Millican (SL) 1.58.02, B Cornelius (V60) 1.58.34.

Kidlington: J Finnigan 1.27.02, C Brading 1.31.57, S Evins 1.39.55, A Finnigan 1.40.11, B Partridge 1.43.46, W Bunce 1.46.50, M Search 1.48.40, T Langrish 1.48.49, V Russell 1.50.47.

OTHER RESULTS

HIGHWORTH 5-MILE

Woodstock H: D Richens 48.07.

BRIGHTON MARATHON

Alchester: R Dowman 5.03.22.

Witney RR: J Whelan 4.20.10.

PARIS MARATHON

Abingdon: N Hamilton 3.19.08.

Headington RR: A Tester 3.51.14, S O’Driscoll 4.40.57.